The Florida State Seminoles technically won their 2026 season opener against New Mexico State, but the 34-17 final score didn’t provide much reassurance for a fan base that has endured plenty of difficult moments since December 2023. While the win goes in the books, the performance left plenty of questions for a program still working to rebuild trust with its fan base.
FSU’s Run Defense Shines, But Passing Game Struggles Prove Costly
Defensively, Florida State actually turned in a strong performance against the run, limiting New Mexico State to just 47 rushing yards on 23 attempts. That mark represents the fewest rushing yards Florida State has allowed in a game under defensive coordinator Tony White, continuing a trend from last season in which the Seminoles held five opponents under 100 rushing yards.
The bigger issue came through the air, along with Florida State’s inability to consistently get off the field on critical downs. New Mexico State started a new quarterback who had moved up from the FCS level, but that didn’t stop Trey Hedden from carving up FSU’s defense, completing 26 of 42 passes for 272 yards with two touchdowns against one interception.
New Mexico State’s Third-Down Success Exposes FSU’s Defensive Issues
The numbers on critical downs were particularly alarming for Florida State. New Mexico State converted 10 of 17 third-down attempts and 1 of 2 fourth-down tries, while finishing with just two fewer first downs than the Seminoles overall. Despite facing an average of nine yards to go on third down — typically a difficult down-and-distance for an offense — Hedden thrived in those exact situations, completing 10 of 13 passes for 158 yards and a touchdown on third down alone.
FSU Linebacker Chris Jones Calls Out Defense After Season Opener
One of Florida State’s new defensive leaders, linebacker Chris Jones, didn’t hold back his frustration with the unit’s performance. In his first career start with the Seminoles, Jones recorded six tackles and delivered several notable hits on New Mexico State ball carriers. Despite his individual performance, Jones made clear after the game that he believes the defense fell short of its own standard.
According to Jones, the defense needs to play with more urgency and speed, while also cleaning up execution on the small details that hurt the unit throughout the game. He emphasized that when those details are corrected, players need to trust the game plan rather than freelancing, and simply execute what the coaching staff calls. Jones added that improving those details will require the team’s leaders to step up and address the issues throughout the week of practice ahead of Florida State’s next game.
Chris Jones Embraces Bigger Leadership Role for FSU’s Defense
Jones has quickly stepped into a leadership role within Florida State’s locker room, bringing noticeable energy to the field, and he says he plans to use his voice even more moving forward. Notably, Jones wasn’t among the players making the majority of the Seminoles’ mistakes on defense, but he still took ownership of the unit’s overall performance as a leader.
Jones explained that leadership requires speaking up regardless of how others might perceive it, adding that even small coaching points he shares during the week could end up being the difference in a big moment — potentially helping the defense get off the field on a critical third or fourth down that it didn’t convert against New Mexico State.
Mike Norvell Breaks Down FSU’s Third-Down Defensive Struggles
Head coach Mike Norvell echoed some of Jones’ concerns while also crediting New Mexico State’s offensive game plan. Norvell explained that the Aggies were designed to get the ball out of Hedden’s hands quickly on passing downs, using anticipation throws that put pressure on Florida State’s coverage. He pointed to several third-and-long situations that were within the Seminoles’ control but weren’t executed properly, whether due to communication breakdowns, leverage issues, or missed assignments — all factors Norvell said the team needs to own and improve on.
Norvell also acknowledged that New Mexico State simply made some good plays, with Hedden locating receivers well in one-on-one situations. He noted that those kinds of outcomes are sometimes unavoidable in football, but stressed that self-inflicted mistakes were the bigger issue Saturday night — happening too often for his liking, though he expressed confidence those issues will get corrected.
What FSU Needs to Fix Before ACC Play Begins
While Norvell didn’t expect a flawless performance in Week 1, he made clear that Florida State has real corrections to make heading into conference play. The head coach emphasized that losing plays due to good execution by the opponent is part of football, but self-inflicted mistakes that prevent the defense from getting off the field are squarely within the team’s control — and a clear point of emphasis heading into the next week of practice.
Florida State’s Next Test: A Labor Day Showdown Against SMU
Florida State won’t have much time to fix its issues before facing a significantly tougher opponent. The Seminoles open ACC play in a primetime Labor Day matchup against SMU on Monday, September 7 — a game that will offer an early measuring stick for how much progress the defense has made in cleaning up the details that plagued it in Week 1.
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